Banding machine



" O. MULLER BAN'DING MACHINE Aug. 3o, 1927. l 1,640,465

O. MULLER Aug. 3o, 1927.l

BANDING MACHINE v 2 t e e h S s u e e h S 6 Filed J 1,640,465 A118. 30 1927' o. MULLER BANDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1925 6 Sheets-Shed 5 Aug. 30 5 1927.

O. MULLER BANDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1925 6 Sheets-Shet 5 Aug. 30, 1927. o' MULLER l BANDINGv MACHINE Filed Jan. 22.. 1925 e sheets-sheet 6 Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

earner orFlcE.

OTTO MULLER, OF RCHMOND HILL, NEW YORK, .ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF T0 JOHN G.

KNEHER, 0F RICHMOND HILL, NEW YORK. I

BANDING MACHINE.

Application led January Vlhis invention relates to machines for banding cigars and similar articles and has for an object the provision of inexpensive, -efhcient mechanism for performing the steps in banding cigars which have heretofore been performed either laboriously by hand or by the use of cumbersome expensive machinery. y

Another obiect of the invention is to lessen the danger of breakage or other damage to the cigar while the band is being firmly held against it for the principal banding operations.V

rEhe latter object is carried out in the preferred form of the invention by making one clamping face of the cigar holding mechanism of a soft lightly resilient material such as sponge rubber. Preferably a block of sponge rubber is employed having suf'- ficient depth that bands are held against three sides of cigars 4of varying thickness without danger of crushing or otherwise damaging the cigars. y

The first named object is accomplished as disclosed hereinafter by the organization into a compact unit of mechanismsr for holding a supply of bands, for transferring a band to an article to be banded, for firmly holding the band against the article, and for wrapping the band about the article and adhesively securing the over-lapping ends thereof, the whole constituting a machine having a minimum number of moving parts for efficient action, hai/*ing a low cost of construction and maintenance and having a novel mode of operation.

i feature of the invention. is an easily adjustable holder for supply of bands.

The invent-ion will be more fully understood from the following detailed description ancl claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l, is a front elevation partly in section of a machine emboc ying the invention;

Figure 2 is a view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the banding mechanism in side elevation; y n Y Figure 3 is partial plan view of' the machine of Figures 1 andA 2;

Figure L1- is a detail horizontal sectional 22, 1925. serial No. 3,924. l

view on line 1 4 of Figure 2 but with the machine in the positi-on of Figure 8;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view showing certain parts in a differentposition from that shown in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a sectional view showing a ioistening device used in the machine;

Figure 7 is a detail view of the band transferring device in its elevated position;

Figures 8 and 9 are detail sectional views taken respectively on lines 88 and 9-9 of Figure 2; I

Figure 10 is a plan view partially broken away of a holder for bands; y Y' Figure 11 is a side elevation of Figure 10 partially in section on line 11-11.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative angular posit-ions of the cams on the main drive shaft; -k

Figures 13, 14, 15, and 16 'are detail views showing modifications of certain parts of the machine.

Referring' to the drawings by reference numerals the machine comprises a platform 2O shown in the drawings partly broken away, which is adapted to be mounted in an opening cut away in a work bench or the like and to have its upper surface substantially flush with the surface of the work bench. Suitable lugs, two `of which are shown at 21 and 22, are provided for securing the machine in position.

Gn the platform near the front of the machine are a pair of cradles or rests 22 and 28 upon which a cigar is placed by the operator. An adjustablestop 24 at the op" posite side from the operator Vdetermines the longitudinal position of the cigar and insures that the bands are placed on the cigars a uniform distance from their ends. The platform is eut away forming an elongated opening 25 extending between the rests 22. At the .side of the platform 20 and `disposed both above and below the surface thereof-is an adjustable receptacle 26 for holding a supply of bands.

Band transferring and positioning mechanism is mounted on a tubular vertical shaft 27 at the rear of the cigar rests and is swung by the shaft through .an arc of 90 from a position over t-he cigar to a position over the supply of bands and vice versa. A vertically reciprocating head 28 carrying suction tubes 29 forms an element of the transfer mechanism. rllhis head is depressed at one end of its oscillatory motion for a short interval to permit the suction tubes to pick up a band and at the other end of its oscillatory movement is depressed for a longer interval to permit the complete banding operation to take place. f

A block 30 of sponge rubber or other very yielding` but resilient material is carried by the head 28 between the tubes 29. Vhen the transfer head with a band is depressed upon a cigar, this sponge` rubber serves to hold the band against the top of the cigar, to strip the ends of the band from the suction tubes and to bend the ends downwardly alongl vthe side of the cigar.

The banding operation is then completed Ioy two ro'llers as follows: a moistened roller 3l bends the ungummed end of the band underneath the cigar and meistens its outer surface. The other roller then bends the gummed end upon the moistened cud and exerts sufficient pressure thereon to cause the ends to firmly adhere to each other.

All ofthe above operations are performed by mechanisms actuated by cams on a shaft 34 during one revolution thereof. The shaft is driven by an electric motor 35 woen connected thereto by the operator. At the end of a revolution it is automatically disconnected from the motor.

Having in mind the abovevgeneral statement of the mode of operation of the 1nachine and the relation between certain of its essential elements, the machine will now be described in detail. The motor 35 when connected to a current supply continuously rotates a worm gearBG which is meshed with a gear 37 loosely mounted on the shaft 34. A. clutch member 38 is slidably keyed on the shaft 34 and in one position is adapted to engage a correspending clutch element on the gear-37. ln its other position, to which it is normally pressed by a coil spring surrounding the shaft, it lies with a il-shaped projection resting in a 'tf-shaped depression 40 in the bracket 4l in which the shaft is journaled. A lever 42 and a link 43, which may extend to a foot pedal (not shown), serve t0 move the clutch member to its position for rotation of the shaft. At the completion of one revolution the spring automatically disconnects the clutch and causes the shaft to stop rotating.

The shaft 34 carries cam members 45. 47, 49 and 5l, which cooperate with respective rollers 53, 55, 57 and 59 to operate the sets of mechanism referred to above. rlhe rollers 53 are four in number and are mounted on a spider secured to the lower end of the rod 60. The rod 60 reciprocates vertically within the shaft 27 and rotates therewith through an angle of 9()O as above described. The cam has two rotating surfaces which engage one pair of the rollers 53 in one of the positions of the rod 6() and the other pair when it has been turned to its other position.

The shaft 27 rotates in a tubular standard 6l and carries on its lower end an arm 62.

A link 63 connects the arm 52 to a lever 64 pivoted to a stud 65 projecting below the platform 20. The roller is mounted on the lever 64 intermediate its ends and lies in a position to vbe engaged by the inclined edges of a iiange 66 on the cam member 47. A spring 67 operates to hold the roller 55 in engagement with the member 47.

Mounted on the upper end of shaft 27 is an arm 7 0 having mounted in its free end a vertically reciprocating rod 7l. A lever 72 pivoted on the arm 7() has slotted pivotal connections at its ends with the rods and 7l, respectively. yThe lever action is such that when the rod 80 is thrust upwardly, the rod 7l is moved downwardly and vice versa.

The head 28 is mounted on the lower end of rod 7l. The suction tubes 29 are carried at the rear of head 28 by blocks 74 which are mounted in guides permitting a limited vertical movement. The guides are formed by grooves in the upwardly extending projections of thel head 28 and by a plate 76 secured by suitable fastening means 77 to the projections 7 5. A spring 78 surrounding each of the tubes 29 tends to hold the respective block 74 and tube 29 in its lowermost position on the head 28. Vhen, however, the head is lowered to its position over the cigar, as shown in Figures l and 2, stop members 79 on the-blocks 74 and cooperating stop members 8O carried by the standard 6l prevent the tubes from going below the position shown in Figure 2. The stop members 79 work in vertical slots in the plate 76.

lt will be understood that a suction port not shown) is located in the lower side of the horizontal portion at the lower end Vof each tube 29. Flexible tubing 8l and metal tubing 82 connect the upper ends of tubes to an air pump 83 the rotary portions of which are driven directly by the shaft ol' motor 35.

The blocks of sponge rubber 30 are secured in a recess in the lower part of the head 28, by clamps 83 secured in position by thumb screws 84. The lower surface and two sides of the sponge rubber are left substantially unobstructed so that cigars of various sizes may be partially surrounded by the` rubber as indicated in Figure l.

Referring now to the mechanism for securing the ends of the band in position, the rollers 57 and 59 above referred to are journaled respectively in the lower ends of levers 85 and 8G which are pivotally mounted at llo oppositevsides of the shaft 34. The upper end of lever has a pin and slot connection at each side of a reservoir 87.v The 'latter is mounted on a guide 89 for horizontal movement underneath the cigar. The roller 31 is journaled in slots at the forward end of the reservoir 87 and is norinzrlly spring pressed to the upper ends ofthe slots.

As shown in Figure 6, the reservoir 86 is provided Vwith a chamber 90 adapted to contain water or the like and having a removable cover 91.k A partition 92 separates he chamber 90 from a drip chamber 93. A wick 94 extending through a passage in the partition 92 serves to supply liquid from the chamber 90 for moistening the surface of the roller 31. r)This roller preferably is made of rubber or some other substanceto which water will readily adhere. A plate 95, serves as a cover for the chamber 93. Y

The upper end of the lever 86 has pivoted to it a pair of arms 96 between which at their free ends is mounted the roller 82. In

the normal inactive position of the roller 32 the arms 96 lie horizontally underneath a guide roller 97 is carried by a bracket 99y which is secured to the upper surface of the platform 20 and extends over the openin 25.

Springs 100 and 101 are attached to levers 85 and 86 and serve to maintain the rollers 57 and 59 in engagement with the peripheral surfaces of cams 49 and 51 respectively. The angularI relation of the cams to each other and the sequence of the operations performed thereby will be describedlater.

The band holder 26 comprising a base plate two end posts 112 and four side posts 114 is mounted in a housing 115 eX- tending below the surface of the platform 20. The base plate 110 is slotted and suitable mechanism is provided kfor moving the end posts 112 toward and from each other and similarly a separate mechanism for moving the side posts on the opposite sides toward and fromveach other. Levers 116 and 117 serve for adjusting` the posts to bands of varying sizes and varying proportions.

As shown in detail in Figures 10 and 11, the lever 116 is carried by a disc 118 rotatable on the central stud 119. A pair of links 120 are pivoted at their inner ends to opposite points on the disc. 118 and at their outer ends are secured to the posts 112. (luide r serve te support the links l2() interni iato their ends.V The lever 117 is carried by a disc 122 also pivoted on the stud 119. Each of the posts 114 is secured 'ings at 150.

to outer end of arespective crank shaped link 123. These links are ar `anged in oppositely disposed pairs, each pair being pivoted at their inner ends to a stud 124. Each stud- 124 is slidable at its upper end in a each pair of links 123, are fired in the plat-e 110 and entend through inclined slots 128 in the links 123. rl`he arrangement is such that when the lever 117 is moved to the right the links 123 are thrust towards the ends of the band holder and due to the inclined slots L8 the free ends of the links are spread outwardly carryingthe posts-114 to a position for receiving wider bands.

pemtion.

A supply of bands having been placed in the holder 26, the operator places a cigar on the supports 22, 28,*as indicated in the draw- She then by means of the foot pedal moves the clutch 38 into gear. The motor has previously been started and the projection 259 on the clutch immediately enf gages the flat bearing surface of the bracket l 41 so that the machine remains in gear until a revolution of the drive shaft is completed.

The positionr of the notch 40 may be such as to stop the machine in any position in which the head 28 is out of the way of theY supports 22', 28 and of the band holder. As shown, when the machine is at rest the head 28 is in raised posit-ion and the arm 70 isin the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. The direction of rotation of the drive shaft is clockwise as seen in Figures 1 and 8. When the machin-e is started the cam surface 66 first engages the roller 55 and through the link connection above described, swings the arm 70 through 90 degrees to a position over the band holder.

The smaller radial extensions 119 of the cam 45 then act to raise the rod 60 and thereby to lower the head to position where the suction tubes 29 engage the uppermost band in the holder. lf the holder is full of bands the suction tubes will of course engageA vron';.ding the lower end of the rod 6() to depress the rod and thereby to raise the head 2o again to .its elevated position. The suction tubes carry with them the uppermost band.

At this time the roller 55 has reached the other inclined edge of a flange 66 and the spring 67 causes the rotation ofv a shaft 27 to bring the head 28 again directly over the cigar.v It will be noted that the depression 120 and the corresponding depression 121 in the opposite side of the cam 45 are lower than the lower limit of movement of the -Vrollers 53 thus permitting the free rotation of the spider which carries these rollers.

The rollers 53 are now engaged by the larger extension 122 of the cam 45 and the head 28 is depressed to the position shown in Figure 1. rEhe sponge rubber 30 is partially wrapped around the cigar stripping the ends of the band from the suction tubes and causing them to extend downwardly at the sides of the cigar.

The position of the cam 49 on the shaft 34 is such that it now engages the roller 57 and causes the reservoir 87 with its roller 31 to travel underneath the cigar. The moist roller 31 bends the adjacent end of the band underneath the cigar and meistens it. The parts are nowr in the position shown in Figure 5. The cam 51 next engages the roller 59 and causes the roller 32 to pass under`r neath the cigar following closely the ret-urn movement of the roller 31. The posterior inclined surface of the cam 49 and the anterior inclined surface of the cam 51 are so shaped and positioned that during this movement the rollers 31 and 32 travel at the same rate and as close to each other as possible, without danger binding on the interposed end of the band. This end of the band which it will be understood is the gummed end is by this operation bent underneath the other end and pressed firmly against it. y

The portions 122 of the cam 45 have by this time advanced to a position permitting the rollers to drop into the depressions 121,

' thereby raising the head 28. The projection 39 on the clutch 38 enters the notch 40 and stops the machine. The operator then removes the handed cigar and places another cigar on the rests 22, 23. The machine is then in condition to repeat the operations above described.`

ln case cigars of very small diameter as well as large ones are being banded, it may be desirable to use the type of transfer head shown in Figures 13 and 14. Springs 13()y and 131 are placed between the rubber 30 and the inner walls of the recess in which the rubber lies. When small cigars are to be banded these springs are bent inwardly by a turn button 132 as shown in Figure 14. This compresses therrubber and increases the tension as applied to the surface of the cigar.

Figures 15 and 16 show a modification in which the roller 32 is replaced by a pair of rollers 135 over which is placed a rubber band or other flexible belt 136. These rollers are mounted between plates 137 carried by the arms 96. A detent 138 on one of the plates loosely ts in a. notch in the adjacent arm 96 and serves to hold the rollers substantially in a horizontal position. With this arrangement pressure is applied to the overlapping ends of the cigar bandy for a longer period than if a single roller is used, and the adhesive material is given a better opportunity to make a secure joint.

While one, embodiment of the invention has been shown and described and also moditications of certain parts, it is obvious that many other modifications can be made within the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set -forth'in the appendedclaims.

The term block, as used in certain of the claims with reference to resilient material, is used not to indicate a body of any, particular shape, but to indicate a body one face of which is yieldable to a substantial amount without substantial deformation of the opposite face, as distinguished from a strip of yieldable material a portion of which is yielda'ble bodily with reference to separated points of support.

Vhat is claimed is: o

1. 1n a banding machine, means for placing a band and an article to be banded in juxtaposition, a block of soft resilient material and means for pressing said block of resilient material against the middle portion of said band, the adjacent surface of said block being wide enough to extend partially along the sides of said article thereby partially wrapping said band about said article.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said resilient material is sponge rubber.

3. In a banding machine, a block of soft resilient material for partially wrapping a band about an article and mechanism for completing th-e wrapping operation.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which said mechanism includes means for moistening one end of the band and for pressing the ends of the band together.

5. In a banding machine, means for supporting an article, transfer mechanism comprising a suction port for removing a band from a supply and placing the band adjacent the article to be banded, and a block of soft resilient material caeri-ed by the transfer mechanism for partially wrapping the band about the article.

6. In a. banding machine, means for supporting an article, transfer mechanism comprising spaced devices for holding the ends of a band, a yielding surface between said devices and means for operating'said transfer mechanism to present a band transversely of said article and for pressing said surface against said band and article, and there` by causing said surface to embrace said article approximately half way around its circumference'.

7. In a banding machine, means to partially wrap a band about an article, a movable reservoir, and a roller carried by said reservoir, the path of movement of said roller being such as to cause it to engage an end of said band.

8. The combination of claim 7 in which a capillary feed extends from liquid in` said reservoir to said roller.

9. The combination of claim 7 in which said reservoir has a partition dividing it into a chamber for liquid and a drip chamber underneath said roller and. a wick eX- tends from said liquid chamber to said roller. f

10. ln a banding machine, an article support, a band support, a transfer device having band lifting means, means rfor swinging said transfer device from said band support to said article support, and means for moving said device transversely to its swinging movement to cause it to approach said supports respectively.

11. The combination of claim 10, in which each of said means comprises a cam surface, sait; surfaces being rotated by a common sha t.

12. In a banding machine, a holder for bands, and a band transferring device movable toward said holder, said transferring device comprising a slidable member having a suction port and resilient means tending` to hold said member ina position to engage a band.

13. Inl a banding machine, a holder for bands and a band transferring device having means for engaging and removing a band, said means being self-adjusting in accordance with the depth of the supply of bands.

14. In combination a horizontal plate, a

cigar rest on the surface of said plate, a

block of soft resilient material, means for presenting a band transversely to said cigar and for pressing said resilient materia-l and said band against the cigar whereby the ends 0f the band extend below the surface of the plate, and means for causing the ends of the band to overlap.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of January A. D.,

OTTO MULLER. 

